Welcome to GOOD Ideas, a web series in which you get to interact with artists, activists, innovators and entrepreneurs who give a damn.


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In the Friday, July 26 episode of GOOD Ideas, Joshua Neuman, GOOD Magazine’s Editorial Director lead a conversation on gun-loving liberals, trying to make sense of the growing progressive subculture that is embracing firearms with the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting and the NRA’s controversial response still fresh in the public’s mind.

The conversation is a continuation of one that began within the pages of GOOD’s summer edition, the Exploration Issue.

Marlene Hoeber is a longtime queer, feminist, trans, sex positive activist and laboratory engineer. She currently oversees the gallery, archive and library at the Center for Sex and Culture in San Francisco. A self-professed lefty activist and gun geek, she is troubled by the predominance of far right politics surrounding her recreational shooting activities. She has sought out like minds at The Liberal Gun Club, where she is a moderator on the discussion forum, and working to found the Northern California chapter.

Kim Russell is a Brooklyn resident, mother of two, and a gun violence survivor. Since December 15, she has been working around the clock to demand action from legislators, companies, and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms in this country. She is now the National Director of Media Relations for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

John Bickle, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at Mississippi State University. His professional research is in the area of philosophy of neuroscience. Politically a committed libertarian, Bickle was an avid supporter of Dr. Ron Paul’s 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. He argues in academic settings for a virtue-based, ethical foundation for libertarian political philosophy and policies.

Marin Cogan is a contributing writer for GQ magazine and The New Republic. She has written about the school shooting that happened in her Pennsylvania hometown and growing up in a family of progressive gun owners for New York magazine.

  • Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
    Dogs have impressive observational powers.Photo credit: Canva

    Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.

    “A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”

    His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.

    pregnancy signs, dogs and pregnancy, pitbull behavior, pet intuition, dog overprotection, Reddit stories, viral Reddit, dog instincts, canine emotions, dog owner tips
    Otis knew before they did. Canva

    Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.

    So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”

    The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.

    Any chance your wife is pregnant?

    ZZBC | Reddit

    The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!

    “The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”

    Redditors responded with similar experiences.

    Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.

    realityisworse | Reddit

    So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?

    Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”

    The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.

    This article originally appeared last year.

  • Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

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    Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

    Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.

    While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

    When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

    Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.


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